High time to look at the ocean resources or Blue Economy for the sustainability of the world economy: Amb Anup K. Mudgal

By Onkareshwar Pandey

New Delhi, November 23, 2019: Circular Design must include women from its inception because they are the biggest users, decision-makers, and influencers of the world economy. Said Nishtha Satyam, Deputy Country Representative for UN Women while speaking in the India high-level panel on ‘Circular Designing and Future of Sustainability: Now is Next’.

Nishtha Satyam, the youngest Deputy Country Representative for the Entity of the UN across 193 countries, strongly advocated for the role of women in the whole process of Circular Economy from its designing to implementation. Nishtha was appointed as the Deputy Country Representative for UN Women, the entity of the United Nations that is dedicated to working towards Gender Equality and Woman's Empowerment, in India in January 2018.

Addressing on this occasion, Ashok Sajjanhar, Former Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan, Sweden and Latvia, stressed that unless India addresses challenges related to poverty first, it would be difficult to meet the defined milestones in reaching sustainability of resources and in essence UN-backed sustainable development goals.

Anup K. Mudgal, Former Indian High Commissioner to Mauritius and a member of the FICCI Task Force on Blue Economy and Steering Committee Member on Blue Economy under the prime minister’s economic advisory council (PMEAC) outlined the need of making Circular Design on the basic formulae of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

He also indicated that the sustainability of the world economy will largely depend upon the utilisation of ocean resources in the coming time. He stressed on adopting nature’s rule by each one of us as it operates on principles of zero waste, to find a balance between resources generation and its consumption. Ambassador Mudgal cautioned about over usage of natural resources causing resource deficiency upsetting fairer development narrative in a changing world.

The India high-level panel was organised by the Swedish Alumni Network India Delhi Chapter, at India International Centre, New Delhi on 22nd November, 2019, with support from the Swedish Institute, Stockholm based public diplomacy entity under the ministry of foreign affairs of the Swedish Government. The implementation partner of the event was Foundation Development Initiatives (FDI).

The Swedish Alumni Network India (SANI) Delhi Chapter which is committed to addressing issues around Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly Circular Economy on the lines of a joint co-operation agreement between Governments of India and Sweden, is working into practical and functional aspects of the circular economy, its designing, application and potential opportunities.

The high-level panel brought senior experts and practising professionals from a range of sectoral fields, the outcome of the high-level panel highlighted the ongoing debates and discussions around the theme of the Circular Economy.

The opening plenary included panellist and speakers-Pooran Chandra Pandey, Curator and Director, India High Level Panel, Senior Advisor to Sweden Alumni Network India, Delhi Chapter, Founding CEO, Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute, Germany, Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar, Former Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan, Sweden and Latvia, Anders Wickberg, Swedish Trade Commissioner to India and Head of Business Sweden, Ambassador Anup Mudgal, Former Indian High Commissioner to Mauritius, Mohd Haleem Khan, ( IAS, Rtd), Former Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, Bishow Parajuli , Representative and Country Director, United Nations World Food Programme, Jayanthi Pushkaran, President, Sweden Alumni Network India Delhi Chapter, Monika Wirkkala, Head of the Talent Attraction Unit at the Swedish Institute.

High-Level Panel was moderated by Pankaj Pachauri, Media Adviser to Former Indian Prime Minister, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, GoNews, Mohd. Haleem Khan, ( IAS, Rtd), Former Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, Anders Wickberg, Swedish Trade Commissioner to India and Head of Business Sweden, Vishvesh Prabhakar, Managing Director and Partner with Accenture Strategy India, Nishtha Satyam, Deputy Country Representative for UN Women, and Saharsh David, Head CSR, Sandvik Asia Pvt Ltd.

The Event was a confluence of perspectives and ideas shared by Govts, Think Tanks, Corporates, Business Chambers and Multilateral Institutions. The panel agreed that while Growth was imperative however, we need to rethink Sustainability to integrate it in the development process. India has a big role to play nationally as well as globally If the world has to meet SDG targeted SDG goals.

Around 100 delegates representing thought leaders from UN agencies, Media, Diplomacy, Business Chamber and Government and International Development institutions participated in the event.

On this occasion Anders Wickberg, Swedish Trade Commissioner to India and Head of Business Sweden said, “Sweden is keen on spreading the spirit of innovation and such ecosystems that promote ideation resulting in promoting start up innovation and bilateral cooperation between Sweden and India.”

Mohd Haleem Khan, (IAS, Rtd), Former Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Government of India said, “Investors in promotion of innovation are key stakeholders and play a significant role by arriving at price points of end products in a competitive economic scenario.”

“Poverty is beginning and end of all issues and sustainable development goals are geared to address billion of people come out of poverty cycle to address their well being and play a role in achieving parity and equity. World Food Program works around the world to end poverty and address issues of malnutrition,” said Bishow Parajuli , Representative and Country Director, United Nations World Food Programme.

Moderating the high level panel, Pankaj Pachauri, Media Adviser to Former Indian Prime Minister, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, GoNews said, “Innovation and partnerships are key agenda for a new century for businesses and how global goals are achieved will depend on coordinated action.”

Vishvesh Prabhakar, Managing Director and Partner with Accenture Strategy India said, “Accenture: Circular designing is key to future of sustainability as it deals with ecosystem approach to necessity and invention of products, choices and standardisation.”

Pooran Chandra Pandey, Curator and Director, India High Level Panel said, “businesses must be careful in designing products and services that can take long term care of their life cycle value chain embedding solutions for waste disposal. Role of government, businesses and civil society will need to be aligned.”

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(Onkareshwar Pandey is Founder, Editor in Chief & CEO, Indian Observer Post, and former Senior Group Editor- Rashtriya Sahara (Hindi & Urdu) and also former Editor, (News), ANI. http://bit.ly/2mh7hih)

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